Better Faster Stronger
by AmazingGraceless
Summary: Instead of becoming Jedi, Ben Solo and Kira Rey become racing pilots under the Solo Shipping Company, becoming two of the greatest racers in the history of the sport. But their daughter, Allie, is thrust into the world of racing for herself, with a mysterious rival racing for the even more mysterious Starkiller Tech Industries.
1. Space Angel Speedway

**Entry 1.**

 **05.10.52 ABY**

The sun hadn't even risen when the eighteen year-old Allie Solo joined the rest of the racing pilots in procession to hangar in the center of the Space Angel Speedway on Helios II. The youngest in the procession, Allie's skin glowed with the enthusiasm of youth as she entered her pit station.

Several technicians in the Solo Shipping branded jumpsuits scrambled about, making last-minute repairs and fueling her speeder for the opening race. Shouts of last-minute panic rang throughout the hangar, with gaggles of pilots standing about, trash-talking and gossiping.

Allie loved it.

"Sweetheart!"

Allie whirled around to see her parents, the legendary Ben Solo and Kira Rey, the former two racers for the Solo Shipping Brand.

"Mum! Dad!" Allie grinned and embraced them.

"You're going to do great," Rey said.

"Fly fast," Ben said, his deep brown eyes serious. "Be quick."

"I will." Allie sobered as well.

"We'll see you on the other side," Ben said.

"Good luck," Rey added.

The two strolled away, and Allie could sense the presence of someone who had attempted to sneak up behind her in the Force. She whirled around, surprising an older woman with long blonde hair in two buns and a round face like a moon.

"Sorry," the pilot said. "Thought I'd finally check out the rookie some of the boys have been talking about."

"It's all good," Allie said, grinning. "You're Tallissan Lintra, aren't you?"

"Call me Tallie," the pilot replied, smiling herself. "I remember when I was the new blood in the cockpit, the feeling of my first professional race. I'm a little bit jealous of the rookies, to be completely honest."

"Why?"

"I wish I could experience it all over again." Tallie closed her eyes. "I wish I could feel that way again. The excitement, the nerves, and the pure exhilaration when I soared across the finish line for the first time. Never mind that I was in fourth place."

"I'll try to enjoy it, then," Allie said.

"Fly straight, Solo," Tallie said, giving a salute. "I see the boys are getting a little too cozy without me. Might as well start some trouble."

"Bye," Allie said.

She then approached her speeder. She could feel the engine thrum, and closed her eyes to hear the electrical hum, distinct from the Force.

"That's my baby girl," Allie murmured.

"Ma'am?"

Allie looked to see one of her technicians. "Sorry."

"You'd better get in the cockpit," the technician said. "It's nearly time."

"Already?" Allie blinked. "Alright then."

She got in the cockpit of the speeder, and sighed. She turned the ignition and flipped switches, bringing the metal beast to life. Carefully, she thrust forward the joystick and hit the acceleration pedal.

The speeder glided out onto the long, circular track, falling into formation with others as they warmed up, waiting for that light to go green.

Then it did.

Allie's heartbeat picked up. She knew what to do. _Have faith in the Force and yourself. That's all you ever needed._

Her grip tightened around the steering yoke and joystick, and she started drafting, moving forward in the ever-shifting ranks. She gritted her teeth as she turned her first corner, and number 21 nearly drove her into the wall.

"Mother-kriffer!" she shouted.

"Hey, kid, calm down."

Her grandfather's voice cut through the chaos via her headset. Han personally managed his racers that took on the shipping brand, with advice from his own racing days. With Allie onboard, he insisted on being in the pit crew.

"Sorry," she said. "Forgot about the kids in the audience."

"Relax, someone in the editing room chose to bleep you out," Han said. "But try to lay off the language."

"Will do," Allie promised.

* * *

One lap came, then the next, then the next. She paced herself— too many young pilots got cocky, thinking they could maintain an infinite lead, despite knowing all too well that they couldn't.

After the pit stop, she managed to break a lead, soaring past numbers 12 and 87. One lap was left.

"Don't let your guard down, kid," Han grunted. "Don't get cocky. You still got one lap."

"Got it," Allie said.

Her concentration was so intense, she couldn't hear anything. All she knew was speed. She didn't hear the whirring of an engine behind her, and she didn't hear Han yelling through her headset.

Right as she was about to cross through the finish line, number 21 soared through first.

"What?"

"And number 77, Allana Solo, has come in second place!"

This couldn't be happening.

Numb with disappointment, she parked in the pits and climbed out, ignoring the cheers.

"Good job, kid." Han gave her a light punch in the shoulder. "Second place on your first race ain't nothing to sneeze at."

"Who was the pilot who beat me?" Allie asked.

"That's the damnedest thing," Han admitted. He pointed to where a serious, bronze-skinned boy with pretty black curls climbed out of number 21. "That's Kyp Stormbreaker."

"That can't be," Allie said, replaying the footage from her mother's final season as the Solo Shipping pilot. "Not after that crash last year. They'd have to put Paige Tico in instead. There's no way he got better in four months."

"Starkiller Industries has a lot of money," Han said. "They can throw it anywhere they damn please, especially when it comes to racing."

Yet he was there. No trace of scars from burns or surgeries for prosthetics to replace mangled limbs marred his body, from what Allie could see with the flightsuit.

The nephew of one of the greatest pilots to ever race for Starkiller Industries had debuted the previous season. One of the most successful rookies in history, Kyp Stormbreaker had won race after race. Until the finale, when he crashed so terribly, everyone thought he would die.

But he didn't.

And now he was back, with the same winning streak.

"Really, don't worry about it," Han said. "There's still an entire season to go. And second is nothing to sneeze at."

So Allie was drawn into celebratory festivities, with only a lingering glance at the mysterious pilot.


	2. Hanna City Speedway

**Entry 2. Hanna City Speedway— Practice Track**

 **05\. 12. 52 ABY**

"What's my time?"

Allie eagerly and breathlessly climbed out of the cockpit.

Ben glanced down at his timer on his datapad. "Three minutes and twelve seconds. About average."

Allie sighed.

"But you're consistent," Ben pointed out. "I had a real problem with that when I was starting out. I had wild ranges for the times."

"Stormbreaker's fastest time is two minutes and seven seconds," Allie said. "I've got to cut it down by sixty-five seconds."

"Have you looked at his strategy?" Ben asked.

"No," Allie admitted, a little embarrassed at her oversight.

"Watch his last race," Ben said. "In fact, watch all his races. Learn his strategy. You've put in all the time you need on the track. Now you need to put in time with your mind."

"Do I hear my son talking strategy?" Han chuckled as he joined the Solos in the pit of the practice track in Hanna City. "Way I remember it, you winning depended on what kind of a mood you were in. Hells help us if we found you in a bad one."

Ben's face grew stony as Han and Allie snickered.

"My point still stands," Ben said, his voice cool. "Allie, I want you to watch what Stormbreaker does to win. Figure out what you have to do to counter that strategy."

"Fine," Allie said. "It'll give me something to do until the party tonight."

"Make sure to be ready in three hours," Ben said. "We're getting there early."

"Got it," Allie said. "I'll meet you in the foyer."

With that, she scrambled into the locker room, and changed out of her flight-suit. Donning instead a simple sleeveless tunic and pants that went to her knees and no-further, Allie left the stadium and started the walk back to the Solo house.

The glass high-rise towered close to the stadium, and wasn't too far from the old Senate building. Allie knew Leia wouldn't currently be at home, since the Senate was in session on Hosnian Prime.

Still, Rey had taken her newfound retirement interestingly. She dabbled with mechanics, learning to cook, and of course, Jedi meditation with Luke. Her father was steadfast, with the only change being his own interest in the Jedi stuff with Luke.

Allie would be lying if she said that she never thought about becoming a Jedi. But she supposed she could do all that later, if she wanted, or even both. But flying was the thing she loved best. She could never do without it.

* * *

When she entered the lobby of their apartment, Allie smelled something burning.

 _Mum's cooking again._

Allie made sure to avoid the kitchen. She wasn't in the mood to pretend to enjoy whatever her mother had burnt this time. She entered her bedroom, and turned on her datapad. Within a few swipes of her fingers, she had the races queued up. Starting with the race from just two days prior.

What surprised her was that number 21 was at the back of the crowd for most of the race, riding the bumper of one of the other speeders. Then, at that last lap, when Allie had overtaken numbers 12 and 87, he moved swiftly, with precision through the ranks, faster than Allie had ever seen.

She blinked. She'd never seen a standard model like the ones they raced go that fast before. Why had no one noticed?

It wasn't like it was his trademark strategy or anything, either. As she changed into her pretty red dress, styled her hair, and pulled on shoes, she watched. Kyp was up to new tricks. Ones that not even his aunt used.

What was going on?

"Allana?"

She jumped, and turned her head to see Rey standing in the doorway, in a lovely green dress and her hair styled into three buns, as usual.

"Allie, are you ready to go?" Rey asked.

"Yeah," Allie mumbled. "Sorry."

"It's alright." Rey grinned. "You're just like me and Ben."

"Of course I am," Allie said. "It's in my blood."

"That it is," Rey said. She hesitated, her grin faltering. "This is what you want to do, right? Blood doesn't have to determine what you do."

"It is," Allie said. "What else would I do?"

Rey grew serious, sitting down next to Allie on her bed. "Be a Jedi?"

"Maybe someday," Allie said. "But I'm not ready. Not yet."

"Okay," Rey said. "I just remember how you used to want to go off with Luke and train to be a Jedi Knight."

"I was six," Allie said, rolling her eyes. "I was little, and my dreams changed. Besides, Dad would've never let me go."

"I sometimes wonder if I should've fought harder with him on that," Rey confessed, her hazel eyes flicking down to her hands. "But for such a long time. . . It was almost like he was afraid of Luke."

"But they get along great," Allie said with a frown.

"I don't understand all of it," Rey admitted. "I might've joined sooner, but Han pulled me out of a bad situation. I owed it to him to give my best and brightest."

"Don't worry about me, really," Allie said. "I want to be a pilot. I'm having the time of my life."

"Okay." Rey tucked a free wisp of hair behind Allie's ear. "I suppose Han and your father will be calling for us any moment."

"I suppose so," Allie said, standing up. She offered her arm to her mother, who gleefully accepted.


	3. Hebe Entertainment Building

**Entry 3. Hebe Entertainment Building, Hanna City**

 **05\. 12. 52 ABY**

It wasn't Allie Solo's first party, not by a long shot. Ever since she could remember, she was attending all sorts of social functions and get-togethers. There were political galas, like with Grandma Leia on Hosnian Prime, and racing celebrations with her parents and even private parties that Han and Uncle Lando liked to host.

But this was her debut. The reporters and holocams would be turned on her, hungry to know who she was and turn her into someone the fans would root for.

Allie strode into the Hebe Center, in the middle of the lounge where similar parties for her parents had been filmed. Press, eager with their badges, watched from behind their red synth-rope lines, the flash of their cameras highlighting every detail of her face for the entire HoloNet to remember.

She was the first pilot to show up. The only other ones there were part of the business side, commentators and number-crunchers and businessmen. She was the first real bit of excitement. She stopped in front of a pillar that shifted from pink to blue to a cool emerald. A reporter with a camera floating next to her nervously approached, slicking his hair back.

"Hello," she said, showing off her dazzling Solo smirk. "How are you?"

"Good, good, how are you, Miss Solo?" the reporter asked.

"I'm doing fantastic, thank you," Allie said. "Looks like they did a good job this year. I'm excited for the party."

"So, Miss Solo, you're the youngest rookie this year," the reporter continued. "One of the youngest ever. Do you feel threatened by the other, older pilots?"

"Threatened? No." Allie laughed good-naturedly. "I grew up around pilots, so the trash talk doesn't phase me. I know that they know more than me, but I'll get there soon. Right now, I just need to focus on me, not on the other guys."

"Yeah, yeah," the reporter said. "Miss Solo, how do you feel about the opening race, and being beaten by Kyp Stormbreaker?"

Allie fought to control her face, and keep her smile. "Of course I'm a little disappointed not to win my first race, but it was only my first. I'm honored to have finished in the top ten, and to be beaten by only Stormbreaker? I can't be too unhappy about that."

"Very optimistic, Miss Solo, just one more question," the reporter said. "You're a legacy, your parents both raced for Solo Shipping, and your grandfather was a pilot in the league before founding his company. Do you feel like you have an unfair advantage?"

"Well, any advantage I do have is pretty minuscule," Allie said. "I know the circles, and the protocols, which is helpful at times. But at the end of the day, it's about what I can do, not my mum, not my dad, or my granddad, for that matter."

"Thank you, Miss Solo." The reporter scurried off to nervously interrogate the other pilots.

"Anytime." Allie saluted him as Han joined her, holding a bottle of firewhiskey.

"Want some?" Han asked.

Allie didn't hesitate, and started downing a shot.

"Hey, not that much, there's still light outside!" Han snatched the bottle out of his granddaughter's hands. "I gotta admit, though, kid, I'm impressed."

"I try to be impressive," Allie said with a shrug. She turned to watch the other pilots enter. Tallie Lintra, Stomeroni Starck, and Kaiden Scorbo were laughing and posing for the cameras, the old pros that they were.

As the reporters lost interest, Tallie sauntered over to Allie.

"Hey, rookie," Tallie said. "And Solo."

Han only raised his bottle of firewhiskey.

"We just wanted to congratulate you," Tallie said. "Hopefully we can beat you into the dust a few times before retirement."

Allie laughed. "Not if I have anything to say about it!"

The three burst out laughing. Kaiden grabbed the bottle from Han and took a swig.

"Aah, that's the good stuff," Kaiden mumbled as she handed the bottle back to Han. "How'd you smuggle that in, Solo?"

"Haven't you heard? A smuggler never gives away his secret compartments," Han said, sounding rather proud of himself.

Before anyone could say anything else, a roar of questions and gossips followed by the largest flashing of cameras drew the group's attention to the line the trio of senior pilots had come from.

As Allie blinked the spots from her vision, she recognized who was standing in the center of the red carpet. It was Kyp Stormbreaker, followed by a squadron of guards in white with black armbands.

Kyp was dressed in a somber navy blue suit with black and silver accents shaped like stars. His dark curls were sculpted perfectly, and his warm brown skin glowed like in the doctored pictures of HoloStars.

Without even looking, Allie stole the bottle back from Han and took a shot. Kyp Stormbreaker was hot. And she did not need to be thinking about that at the moment.

"Hey!" Han grabbed it back. "I'm going to go enjoy my drink in peace, away from you little thieves."

Allie grinned and rolled her eyes as Han grumpily stalked off. This was going to be fun.

* * *

Drink in hand and face flushed from one too many and too much time on the dance floor, Allie burst out into the empty balcony. The night air was as refreshing as a slap to the face in a moment of crisis.

She looked up at the familiar night sky as she slowly sipped what she determined would be her final drink. She heard Dialaman Blue did strange things to humans, and unfortunately, the punch was at least eighty-percent Dialaman Blue. Never mind that the majority of pilots in the Intergalactic Association of Competitive Speeder Racing were humans.

Rey insisted that her daughter know how to navigate the stars as she raced through them, so the stars were like an old lullaby to Allie.

She hummed a rowdy bar ballad Han had taught her several years ago.

"What's that song?"

Allie whirled around, surprised by the polite tenor, and ended up spilling what was left of the Dialaman Blue punch all over Kyp Stormbreaker's suit.

"Force, I am so sorry, let me go get a towel, or—"

"It's all good," Kyp said. He hesitated a moment, and the two young adults stared at each other. "You're Allana Solo, aren't you?"

"Allie," she corrected.

"You're good," he said. "Nearly beat me."

"Thanks," Allie said. "I think."

He laughed good-naturedly.

Allie returned inside, just as the president of the Association was about to make his speech.


	4. Center Stage

**Entry 4. Hebe Entertainment Center- Center Stage**

 **05\. 13. 52 ABY**

President Dagny Careou stood on the center stage within the main room of the party. Careou was a Radnoran, a petite woman with light brown skin, golden eyes, curly purple hair, and a naturally alluring charisma. Dressed in pale violet to accentuate her skin and hair, Careou was stunning inside the Hebe Center.

Allie couldn't take her eyes off her, and didn't want to once Careou started talking.

"Racers, family, and all invited guests!" Careou's voice was like silk, radiating through the center and stopping all other conversation with just a word. "I am pleased to represent our glorious league, and celebrate the forty-fourth anniversary of the league, and of our opening party."

Everyone applauded, and Careou grinned and winked at the audience.

"We have over two-hundred speeders flying in the races," Careou said. "Over two-hundred companies sponsoring them, and twice that for our spectacular and talented racers. And of course, there are countless others. The people who come out to see these races, who watch these events. The technicians who make sure everyone is safe. The medics on-site who have prevented numerous causeless fatalities. And of course, the families."

Allana glanced around for her own family. Where were Rey and Ben? Allie hadn't seen them since she walked in several hours before.

Her parents were particularly amorous. Perhaps they had for once gotten a room?

Still, Allie couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. But what?

"The families support their young racer, giving up so much time, credits, and effort to help them achieve glory in our circuit," Careou continued. "And for the first time this year, we will have seen three generations of racers from one family. Galen, if you could, please?"

A second light appeared in the stage, and the spotlight moved into the crowd, before stopping on Allie. She blinked, trying to rid her vision of the spots, and smiled awkwardly, in a way that was reminiscent of her father.

"Come on up here, Solo!" Careou cried, gesturing widely.

Allie maintained a closed-lip smile as she did her best to gracefully walk forward, despite the four cups of Dialaman Blue and the shots of firewhiskey. In fact, she tripped on the third step up to the stage.

"I'm okay!" she protested as several aides came to her side. She removed her other shoe as the first one toppled onto the dance floor. An aide helpfully grabbed it, and Allie thanked him.

"Sorry, I'm a little clumsy outside the cockpit," Allie said, forcing a laugh as she joined Careou's side.

"Allana, if I may call you that, you are the child of this league," Careou said.

Allie laughed. "Literally?"

"I suppose so," Careou said, chuckling warmly. "Your parents, Kira Rey and Ben Solo, were both racers for the Solo Shipping Brand when they met, right?"

"Yep," Allie said. "It's the League that brought them together. It brings the entire family together."

"And you aren't the only one with family in the business, as they say," Careou continued. "Like Kyp Stormbreaker— Paige Tico's nephew. Do you see similarities between you and Stormbreaker?"

"I suppose so," Allie said. "We're both young pilots, rookies who have some pretty good odds against all the old folks. We both grew up in this world— I presume. I'll admit, I don't know Kyp all that well, but I'd like to."

"It's that friendly, can-do spirit that we are all about," Careou said. "This year, for the Intergalactic Grand Prix, we'll be focusing on the families of our racers and competitors. Now, Allana, is there anything you want to say about your family?"

"Yeah." Allie's eyes searched the crowd for her parents. She tried to hide her panic. She couldn't see them. There was Han— but where were Ben and Rey?

"Allana?" Careou sounded concerned.

"Uh- uh, Mum, Dad, thank you for everything," Allie said. "Y-You've taught me so much, and—"

She sensed it coming before it did. Every hair stood up on end, and she knew what to do.

"Get down!" she screamed, pushing Careou down with her, as a bomb went off behind her.

Smoke and rubble drifted through the air. It took all of Allie's will to get up and flee the building.


End file.
